Southlands High School
Chorley, PR7 2NJ · Lancashire · secondary school
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72nd of 82 secondary schools in Lancashire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 1.6/10 against 816 of them, against 2.0/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 5 | 35% | 0.19 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 34.1 · 23 | 30% | 0.68 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.49 · 16 | 25% | 0.41 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 40.4 · 22 | 10% | 0.22 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Southlands High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 28.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 42.1, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.49 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.2 out of 10 among them, against 1.7 out of 10 nationally. Ofsted rated the school Requires improvement in March 2024.
Getting in
The published school roll is 821 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,050. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
With a Progress 8 score of -0.49, how does the school support pupils to improve their progress from their starting point? Following the 2024 inspection, what specific actions have been taken to address the areas identified by Ofsted?
What Ofsted said about Southlands High School
Overview
The report states that the school is “highly ambitious for pupils to achieve well” and that students are “increasingly benefiting from the improvements” made to the quality of education. While behaviour is described as “Good” with positive staff-pupil relationships, the overall effectiveness and quality of education are judged as “Requires improvement” due to inconsistencies in curriculum delivery and personal development.
Strengths
- Pupils study a “broad range of well-designed subject curriculums” with clear knowledge goals.
- Most pupils understand high conduct expectations, are “friendly towards each other,” and feel “happy and safe.”
- Teachers generally possess “strong” subject knowledge and use assessment strategies to identify and address gaps in learning.
- The school has strengthened provision for personal development, including opportunities for leadership skills and extra-curricular activities.
- Safeguarding arrangements are “effective,” and the school has taken “quick and effective action” to address previous curriculum weaknesses.
Areas to improve
- The curriculum is “not delivered consistently well across subjects,” with some teachers failing to design activities that help pupils retain key knowledge.
- Attendance remains low for some disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), causing them to miss important learning.
- There is inconsistency in how teachers adapt curriculum delivery for pupils with SEND, and some staff lack the expertise to support weaker readers effectively.
Safeguarding
The report confirms that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 39.1 |
| 2024/25 | 42.1 |
| 2025/26 | 40.4 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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